Michael Leviton to Sell Lumiere in West Newton

An award-winning French bistro in the western suburbs of Boston is being sold.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Michael Leviton will be selling Lumiere in West Newton to Jordan Bailey, who is the chef de cuisine at the Washington Street dining spot. The article says that Leviton, who had also sold his stake in Area Four in Cambridge and the now-closed A4 Pizza in Somerville in June, will remain at Lumiere through the end of February, at which point he will be looking forward to "the prospect of a more 'normal' existence with my very patient family." (He also indicates that he doesn't have any specific plans on what's coming next for him.)

[February 8, 2016 update: As Michael Leviton gets ready to leave Lumiere, his restaurant will be hosting a special prix fixe three-course Valentine's Night dinner at $95 per person with $42 extra for an optional wine pairing, and it appears there may be a farewell dinner at the end of the month as well (we will post an update on this as soon as we get more information). In addition, an earlier article from Boston Magazine states that Lumiere will continue to operate come next month with some renovations made to the space--including cosmetic changes to the dining room and the addition of a more casual lounge section.]

[February 14 update: The Tables section of The Boston Globe states that Michael Leviton leaves Lumiere for good on February 27, and that he will turn to doing work on a new cookbook and working as a consultant in the restaurant industry, while also "looking forward to just being a husband and dad."]

Lumiere first opened in 1999 and became a favorite among diners and critics alike, winning multiple "Best of Boston" awards from Boston Magazine along with Bon Appetit calling it the best new restaurant to open in 1999 and Gourmet Magazine awarding it best restaurant in America in 2002. (Leviton is also an eight-time James Beard Foundation Award nominee.)

The address for Lumiere is 1293 Washington Street, West Newton, MA, 02465.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Romantic Restaurants in the Greater Boston Area]

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Eataly Looking to Purchase Liquor License of Dempsey's Bar and Grill in Hyde Park

A mammoth Italian emporium that is on its way to Boston's Back Bay is looking to purchase a liquor license--and it could be coming from an obscure watering hole in one of the city's neighborhoods.

Universal Hub is reporting that Eataly, which is going to be opening within the Prudential Center, may be getting its license from Dempsey's Bar and Grill in Hyde Park, with a hearing on the proposed transfer taking place next Wednesday. It is not known if the River Street drinking spot will remain in business--and as UH says, the place could possibly acquire a neighborhood-specific license--though it appears that this might not be the case because there is no such hearing on the agenda. (These types of swaps usually entail a license sale and a request for a hearing on a new license within the same day, according to Universal Hub.)

[December 9 update: A Twitter post from @ConciergeBoston indicates that the price tag for the liquor license that would be transferred from Dempsey's to Eataly is $385,000. (The hearing on the proposed transfer is taking place this morning.)]

Eataly will be a multi-floor complex in the Pru with approximately 45,000 square feet of space, including a market, several dining spots, and more; expect to see it open in late 2016.

[Earlier Article]
Mario Batali's Eataly Will Open at the Prudential Center in Boston's Back Bay

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Louie's Restaurant to Replace The Chicken Bone in Framingham

A popular dining and drinking spot west of Boston that received national attention a few years ago will be replaced by a brand new restaurant.

The Framingham Patch is reporting that the now-closed Chicken Bone in Framingham will become home to Louie's Restaurant, with Jose Varela of the nearby Aztec being behind the new place which will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Chicken Bone closed in the summer of 2014, with its Facebook page saying at the time that it had hoped to open in October, but a new note posted in November of 2014 stated that the place was up for sale and that owner Bill Rodenhiser didn't know what the future would hold for it, though he did wonder if a new owner could possibly reopen the spot.

The Chicken Bone, which was known for its wings, was featured on Spike TV's hit series "Bar Rescue" back in 2011

The address for the upcoming Louie's Restaurant (and former Chicken Bone) is 358 Waverly Street, Framingham, MA, 01702.

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Marylou's Coffee to Open Another Shop in Quincy

A popular local chain of coffee shops is going to be opening a new location, and this will be one of its closest shops to the city of Boston.

Eater Boston is reporting (via a licensing board page) that Marylou's Coffee is planning to open on Independence Avenue in Quincy, which would make this the second shop to open within that city (the other being on Willard Street). Once it opens, the new location of Marylou's will also join a number of others on the South Shore, Cape Cod, and in Rhode Island, with the closest ones to Boston being in Quincy, Braintree, and Randolph.

Marylou's Coffee, which first started out in 1986, is headquartered in Hingham.

The address for this new coffee shop in Quincy is: Marylou's Coffee, 22 Independence Avenue, Quincy, MA, 02169. Its website can be found at http://marylous.com/

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Wolaver's Organic Brewing Ceases Production

A week after reporting that a beloved local brewer was shutting down production, another regional brewery has announced that it is doing the same.

According to a post on its website, Wolaver's Organic Brewing has decided to end production of all of its beers, citing that "the rising cost and availability of organic ingredients has made it increasingly challenging to create an affordable product." The post mentions that while the Wolaver's line is disappearing, the Vermont-based brewer will be working with the other brands in its family--Otter Creek and The Shed--to verify the ingredients of the beers in those lines with the help of an organization called the Non-GMO Project.

The closing of Wolaver's comes on the heels of the announcement that the Somerville-based Pretty Things brewery would be ceasing production as well, with its final beers being shipped out this month.

Wolaver's, which first started out nearly 20 years ago in California, has been known for such beers as Alta Gracia Coffee Porter, Wildflower Wheat, Oatmeal Stout, and more. The headquarters of Wolaver's, Otter Creek, and The Shed are in Middlebury, Vermont.

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Ten Good Places to Get Beer in the Boston Area]

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Il Panino Express to Open in Jamaica Plain

A North End restaurant that expanded to another Boston neighborhood two years ago is getting ready to add another member to its family, with this one focusing on takeout pizza, calzones, and sandwiches.

A check on the place last night indicates that Il Panino Express appears to be close to opening in Jamaica Plain, which jibes with a Twitter post from earlier in the evening. Based on the restaurant's Twitter page, the new South Street eatery (which will take over the former Primo Brothers Pizza space) is indeed connected with Trattoria Il Panino on Parmenter Street in the North End along with Il Panino Cafe and Grill on Centre Street on the other side of JP. No specific opening date has been given as of yet; as soon as we find out when it may open, we will post an update here.

[January 22, 2016 update: Eater Boston states that the new Il Panino Express is now open on South Street in JP.]

The address for this new dining spot in Jamaica Plain is: Il Panino Express, 172 South Street, Boston, MA, 02130. Its website can be found at http://www.ilpaninoexpress.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Pizzas in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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